This invention concerns tools and devices for digging small holes for planting purposes.
It has heretofore been known to use augers for planting tulip bulbs, the augers driven by power drills to reduce the labor involved in planting bulbs when setting out large number of these. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,800 and 5,113,952 as examples of such use of an auger.
Augers are relatively expensive and are not readily available in larger sizes suited to planting bedding plants, i.e., 2-4 inches. Bedding plants are also set out in large numbers such that a labor and time saving device for digging holes would also be desirable for these. A more elaborate device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,838 for digging larger holes.
Another desirable feature of a device for digging holes for bedding plants would be the containment of the excavated soil, in order to conveniently allow for refilling of the soil around the plant set into the hole, and to avoid scattering of the soil into any surrounding mulch material.
It would also be important in mass planting of flowers to provide a convenient and rapid way for achieving a uniform hole depth and spacing, as well as a hole contour that would avoid air pockets to enhance the root growth of the plants set into the hole.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, low cost device effective for excavating large numbers of small holes of a controlled uniform spacing and depth.
It is another objection of the invention to provide such a device which is capable of containing the soil removed from the hole during digging such as to prevent scattering and position the same for replacing the soil around the roots of the bedding plant.